Ok, so it probably won't happen because Leagues Cup, Campeones Cup and a bunch of other reasons, but...if/when the day comes, how would you do it? One of the minor league hockey leagues had a format where the league champs played the "best of the rest." I have zero idea how those games actually played out, but they seemed like a fun idea. Example: Philadelphia Union win MLS Cup in 2030. The 2031 ASG would be "Philadelphia Union vs MLS All-Stars." Someone who gets traded FROM Philly would represent MLS. Likewise, someone traded TO Philly would represent them. No, they're probably not going back to East vs West. The formats they used in 1998 and 2002 were fun. Also: I'm sure Target/MLS would never allow this, but I'd like to see the players use their regular jerseys for some team representation. Using the 2024 format, MLS players would be in their white/color/non-black jerseys and the Mexican team would be in a black jersey.
Kind of sort of related to Allstar Game is how I would set the season up (and I like E vs. W)= 1/ FIRST KICK. (Opening day) 2/ Rival week #1 3/ Independence Week ( everyone should get a game on or around 4th of July in the states and maybe even Canada day around July 1st) 4/ Rival week #2 5/ Supporters Day- last day of season- award the Shield 6/ THEN the week after is the Allstar Game- should be based on a players body of work for the whole year, not just half way through it. I am not a fan of Leagues Cup right in the middle of season and the stupid MLS playoffs at the end. I wish Leagues Cup would just go away and format the MLS as a true league cup (especially once we get to 32) and have all teams play a single elimination post season tournament instead. Random thoughts and I know none of this will happen....
Why play the rival so early in the season though? Wouldn't those games be better when teams are hitting their peak form?
I always thought All Star games should incorporate some retired players who can still play in an exhibition.
-- Wasn't trying to say Rival Week is played in week #1.. Was trying to say there would be 2 rival weeks-- maybe one halfway between opening day and holiday week and the other half way between holiday week and Supporters day.. no guarantee rival games at the end of the year produce a champion.... so my idea was to have major "event" days spread through out the year. The other idea I had was to get rid of Leagues Cup (god forbid that takes up a frekin month) and block a Saturday and Wednesday and call it "international week".. I realize most teams will be from Europe, but why not give it a formal week and hype and every MLS team gets 2 games.....ok sure, Dundee United vs. Colorado Rapids may not be exciting to some and not every game can be Liverpool vs. LAFC, but if Europe is the standard we wish to aspire to, then we (MLS) should be playing European teams...
----------- Could be a double-hitter Allstar Game-- a "current' Allstar game and a game with the greats of the past. Make both games 60 minutes and include other festivities. Since Allstar game/date will be know well in advance, people (fans and players) can plan in advance to be there. Kind of a reunion for players, teams, fans etc.. maybe Supporters Groups from each team can send a representative and have league discussions too. This would also be a great time to have all the leagues sponsors in- show them the present and past, have meetings, do some future planning etc... "thanks for supporting the league" type stuff.
They should get rid of the All-Star game and have each MLS team play a friendly vs some popular Euro/Mexican/South American team in their stadium. 30 friendly matches on a weekend or mid week set apart by the league. Every single MLS team wins more $$$ with this than they do with an All-Star game. Celtic, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Barcelona just to name a few are clubs doing preseason here. If MLS can get some of them (plus more) that would be better. .
-------- Kind of a variation of my earlier idea. do 30 friendlies on Saturday and another 30 on Wednesday (Foreign teams probably won't come all the way here for 1 game- 2 is good). That is 60 games MLS could do. Put those dates on the books early so teams around the world can "book" them.
You are not going to get 30 European teams to come here each year for something such as that. Not going to happen.
Let us just go back to the East/West format. I'm tired of seeing a European or Mexican team come in here and embarrass MLS. It has been like a decade or more since MLS beat one of those teams.
An all-star game is about recognizing the best players from the league. Not about some player who retired years ago. I think you missed the point of an all-star game.
I agree Leagues Cup is garbage. The new format for the first round of playoffs is just dumb. MLS needs to go to the single elimination matches for the playoffs. The week between conference championships and MLS cup, the all-star game should be played. If you are playing in MLS Cup you would miss the all-star game, if voted in, in favor of the MLS Cup.
It’s about celebrating the league and sport as a whole, and the MLS format already puts the spotlight on non MLS players. And history is a constant in sports, so why not bring it directly to the forefront in an occasion that allows for it.
If it is about celebrating the league, then why do we invite teams that on a consistent basis embarrass the league each year. Makes the league look bad!
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. All time the All-Stars are 9-4-7 (W-T-L) against foreign opposition.
Because they want it both ways, celebrate the league and doing something that makes its own splash like a popular foreign team. Hence the All Star games always has multiple goals in mind, and there’s room for experimentation.
I think the better the players in the MLS starting line up, the less seriously they probably take it as they have nothing to prove. Also I think domestic players are going to take it more seriously as the US and Canada have a history of all star games that actually mean something.
Part of it is that if it's "Team vs MLS" well..."team" is an actual team, vs a hodgepodge of players who haven't played together and don't have a system. What might be fun is MLS-based USMNT vs European team. At least it's an actual team in a sense.